An Indian-origin neurosurgeon in the US has been fined more than $2 million for falsely claiming to have performed surgeries, according to lawyer Alamdar S Hamdani. Dr Rajesh Bindal53-year-old Houston man was charged with fraud Treatment and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).
According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Bindal, who practices at Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center PA, committed fraud between March 16, 2021, and April 22, 2022, for complex surgical procedures to implant electro-acupuncture devices. The office alleged that Bindal simply taped the devices behind patients’ ears, where they often fell off within a few days. In some cases, the procedures were performed not by Bindal himself but by an equipment sales representative or a physician assistant in his clinic, rather than in a proper surgical setting.
Hamdani, the American attorney, said, “A neurosurgeon like Dr. Bindal knows the difference between actual surgery and sticking an instrument behind someone’s ear.” “Despite being among the highest paid specialists in medicine, he chose personal greed over integrity and patient care.”
“Doctor Rajesh BindalThe 53-year-old will pay $2,095,946 to settle claims he was fraudulently billed for neurostimulator electrode implants,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG), and the Office of Inspector General for Personnel Management (OPM-OIG). These agencies emphasized the importance of accountability in federal health care programs and protecting beneficiaries from fraudulent practices.
“Ensuring that health care professionals are held accountable for submitting false claims to Medicare is essential to maintaining the public trust and protecting vital resources,” said Jason E. Meadows, Special Agent in Charge of DHHS-OIG. “
“False claims cost not only our federal health care programs but also the members who rely on these programs for needed care,” said OPM-OIG Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt.